Money, Money, Money

Well, I’ve had a response …

From the man himself! Which is more than I can say I got from the Gazette …

I left a link to the last post about the Eric Pickles laptop saga, to see what kind of response I’d get.

From Eric Pickles.

And I’ve got to admit, it was pretty bland. Here, courtesy of his Parliamentary assistant, Kay Bellwood …

“Thank you for your email to Eric Pickles MP about his expenses claim for computer equipment. Mr Pickles has asked me to send you the following comment for your blog:

‘I purchased my computer equipment from an office supplier. The invoice for the equipment was submitted to the Fees Office which paid the supplier direct.’”

Now is it me, or am we getting fobbed off here … ?

I think we are.

Granted, the purchase may well have been within the rules — we’ve heard that before — but the reply from his office does not tell us which suppliers, how much it cost, the specification or operating system of the machine concerned or the alternatives Mr Pickles explored for reducing the cost to the taxpayer.

Nor, as I think I mentioned in my last post, does it tell us where the rest of that £7, 500 went.

Yes.

I believe we have been fobbed off.

With a bland answer.